Tag: lanolin

Why is cruelty-free skincare catching on?

Compassion for animals is one of our guiding principles, and we’ happy to see that support for cruelty-free skincare and cosmetics is growing in the U.S. and elsewhere. So much so, in fact, that some companies have changed who they do business with to demonstrate their support for cruelty-free around the world.

Labels can be confusing, however, so how does not go about finding cruelty-free skincare products? There are a few places where you can begin your search:

How to Find Cruelty Free Skincare

Look for the bunny on the company’s website or packaging. This symbol certifies that the company has met the requirements for using the “Cruelty-free” bunny logo.

Visit the website gocrueltyfree.org to find a list of almot 500 companies that participate in this initiative.

Search for bloggers who review cruelty free brands. Articles like this on on Mybeautybunny.com can assist you in your search.

Visit the cruelty-free makeup page at PETA.org. They also talk about the brands that test on animals.

Read labels to learn which skincare and cosmetic products contain animal ingredients. For example, many soaps use tallow, obtained from beef, pig and sheet rendering plants. Another name for it is “sodium tallowate.” Honey and beeswax are easy enough to spot. Others are not so easy, like glycerin (plant and animal origins), lactic acid, squalene (plant and animal origin), Vit. E, Carmine (dye derived from crushed cochineal bugs – ugh!), Lanolin, etc.

The good news is that more and more companies are dedicated to sourcing plant-based ingredients for skincare and cosmetics. Even major brands like RMS Beauty and Kat Von D Beauty have chosen to be cruelty-free. Of course, we will always be commited to remaining plant-based, sustainable, and palm oil free not just because of animal testing, but because of the impact that using certain products has on indigenous wildlife.

We know that it’s the right thing to do. And lucky for us, customers are catching on.

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From the beginning, WEBA Natural Products has taken a firm stand with regard to the use of animal ingredients in our products. While many personal care, clothing and food manufacturers may think differently on this topic, it is an ethical and aesthetic choice that makes sense for us.

Many consumers have argued that some ingredients don’t involve hurting animals, but we feel that this is a slippery slope. After all, how do they know? Are they expecting the cow or goat or bumble bee to scream “Don’t take that!”? We’d be surprised if they did. Let’s explore this practice and we’ll tell you why we feel the way we do.

A History of Using Animal Ingredients
Animal products have a long history in the personal care industry. The first soaps were made as far back as 2800 B.C. almost by accident. The basic recipe called for using wood ash and tallow, which consists of rendered animal fat (usually beef or pork). Many commercial “beauty” bars still use tallow (often labeled sodium tallowate), as it is an inexpensive by-product of factory farming. The same goes for gelatin, which is rendered by boiling animal cartilage and bone.

At first, these ingredients would be used in order to avoid waste and to save money. Before factory farming, local farmers made use of whatever was on hand, and they no doubt sold these products for a profit. Back “in the day” there were very few options for cleaning and bathing. Once these ingredient properties were found to be beneficial, they became more popular in many products, from soaps and skincare to cosmetics.

Can We Avoid Using Animal Ingredients?
Absolutely! Today, technology has made it possible for us to utilize plant-based and synthetic alternatives for many of the animal products that have been used in the past. As more and more consumers embrace a cruelty-free lifestyle, they want to be sure that the businesses that they support don’t use animal ingredients to create their skincare and cosmetic products. Below is a list of common animal ingredients alternatives that you will find in the marketplace.

Tallow – many plant-based oils, including palm oil, coconut oil and cocoa butter, can substitute for this ingredient. We’ll explain at a later time why we don’t use palm oil.

Gelatin – Agar is a suitable plant-based alternative to this animal ingredient.

Lanonin – Derived from the wool of sheep mostly. Again, cocoa butter would make a good substitute, and it smells great!< .li>

Collagen – Derived from animal tissue. While very popular as an anti-aging ingredient right now, its effectiveness in building up collagen is questioned; it is a large molecule. Oils like olive and amla are suitable.

Allantoin – Found in uric acid secreted from animals (usually horses). Fortunately, there are plant-based sources of allantoin.

Alpha-Hydroxy acids – There are both animal and plant sources. It’s important to read the label or contact the company to know what source they use.

Royal Jelly – Derived from the throat glands of honeybees. Its value is questionable. A good alternative is aloe vera gel.

Retinol and Retinoids – This only comes from animals. It’s used in many anti-aging creams, however, and it can cause irritation and sensitivity. As an alternative, try rosehip oil or Vitamin C, and eat more beta-carotene.

The list can go on, of course, so please check the References below. We hope that you’ll consider using products (like ours) that are free of animal ingredients and rich in plant-based oils and extracts.